When water in a puddle warms up, what is the most likely process that occurs next?

• A. The water molecules gain enough energy to evaporate into the air.
• B. The water molecules lose energy and freeze.
• C. The water molecules condense to form ice crystals.
• D. The water molecules undergo sublimation directly into solid form.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the scenario: When water in a puddle warms up, energy is being added to the water molecules, increasing their kinetic energy.
2. Recall the phase changes of water: Heating water can cause it to change from liquid to gas (evaporation), while cooling causes it to change from liquid to solid (freezing) or gas to liquid (condensation).
3. Analyze the options: Since the water is warming, losing energy and freezing or condensing to ice crystals is unlikely because those processes require cooling.
4. Consider sublimation: This is the direct transition from solid to gas, which is not relevant here because the water is initially liquid, not solid.
5. Conclude that the most likely process is evaporation, where water molecules gain enough energy to escape the liquid phase and enter the air as vapor.